Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : £4,500 bonus to attract graduate teachers to deprived nurseries [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : £4,500 bonus to attract graduate teachers to deprived nurseries [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 June 2026.

    New push to get qualified nursery teachers into England’s most deprived communities so nurseries can offer more childcare places, helping families save money.

    More qualified nursery teachers will be attracted to England’s most deprived communities with £4,500 bonuses – ensuring tens of thousands more children get the best start in life.

    The move will also help more families access their funded childcare entitlement, worth up to £8,000 a year, by giving nurseries the qualified staff they need to open more places.

    Fewer than one in ten nursery staff currently hold a graduate teaching qualification – yet evidence shows that the more highly qualified the staff, the better the outcomes for children.

    The extra cash bonus will help recruit and retain the best teachers in the communities that need them most, raising the quality of teaching for every child who walks through the door.

    The first wave launches today in 10 areas – including Sandwell, Middlesbrough and Rochdale – with expansion to 30 communities later this year. Areas were selected based on deprivation, teacher shortages and school readiness levels.

    Just 58% of children in the most deprived communities reach the desired level of development by the end of reception, compared to 77% in the least deprived areas. This targeted scheme puts more qualified staff into the communities that have been left behind – levelling the playing field for every child.

    Today’s announcement exceeds the government’s initial pledge – backing nursery teachers across 30 communities, up from the 20 areas first announced last July – delivering on the Education Secretary’s core belief that background should never mean destiny

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    It shouldn’t matter if you’re born in Sandwell or Middlesbrough, in Rochdale or Rotherham – every child deserves the best teachers, with the best tools at their disposal, to give them the very best start in life.

    These measures will help nurseries attract and keep more qualified staff — so they can deliver the funded childcare that saves families up to £8,000 a year in the communities that need it most.

    Alongside the bonus, new partnership grants will for the first time fund nurseries, childminders, and schools to formally work together. Staff will be able to visit each other’s settings, share teaching approaches and build stronger links with families so children arrive at school confident and ready.

    18 new hubs of excellent nursery teaching have also been confirmed today – doubling the network to 36 across England. The Early Years Stronger Practice Hub programme is designed to bring the best nurseries and childminders together to share what works and will host specialist advisors and leads in early language, maths and personal, social and emotional development, delivering tailored training to early years educators so the highest quality teaching and practices reach more children in more communities.

    Further work will follow, including a consultation on how to raise the status and recognition of early years teachers, removing barriers to increased pay in relevant settings.

    This work is part of the mission to get tens of thousands more children school-ready by 2028, combining efforts to upskill the workforce through the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship and attract new nursery staff via the Do Something Big campaign.

    It will also help families with 30 hours of funded childcare, worth up to £8,000 a year, helping with the cost of living while expanding places through new school-based nurseries in the communities that need them most.

    ENDS

    Additional quotes

    Executive Director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition Sarah Ronan said:

    When disadvantaged children start school 4.7 months behind their better off peers, it’s right that we do everything we can to close that gap as early as possible. Research shows us that graduate teachers can have a positive impact on child development particularly for those at risk of being left behind.

    We welcome this incentive to attract more graduates to work in communities where they can make a difference and change lives and we are particularly pleased to see the Government offer this bonus in even more areas. The expansion of Stronger Practice Hubs is also welcome. A well-trained and supported workforce is the most important lever we have in driving outcomes for children. An investment in early years professionals is an investment in our children.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Support for the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s comprehensive security work and reform agenda – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Support for the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s comprehensive security work and reform agenda – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    Deputy Ambassador James Ford welcomes the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s report and commends its practical support to Kazakhstan across security, governance and economic and environmental dimensions, highlighting the need for impact, sustainability and alignment with OSCE commitments amid constrained resources.

    Thank you Chair and thank you, Ambassador, for your report. Thank you also to you and your team for your support and hospitality to my Ambassador during his recent visit to Astana, where he saw first-hand the work you are doing across all three dimensions of security.

    The UK supports this balanced approach in many of the areas noted in your report. I won’t list them all here, but they stretch from judicial reform, to the fight against human trafficking, to regional cooperation on environmental issues and water governance.

    The Office’s range of work reflects the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and evidently delivers tangible benefits for Kazakhstan and the wider region.

    Ambassador, the UK supports your Office’s practical assistance to Kazakhstan, including the work on borders, cybercrime, our shared Vienna Document commitments, and security sector reform.

    We also welcome the Office’s partnership with your hosts on democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law.

    We remain a strong supporter of your mandate. As with all field missions we encourage continued focus on impact, sustainability and close alignment with OSCE commitments, particularly in a constrained resource environment. We reiterate our thanks to the Swiss Chairpersonship for beginning the discussion about the future of field missions throughout the network. We look forward to further substantive discussions on this matter over the coming months.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Baroness Hogg has been reappointed as a non-executive member of the Office for Budget Responsibility [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Baroness Hogg has been reappointed as a non-executive member of the Office for Budget Responsibility [June 2026]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 11 June 2026.

    Baroness Hogg has been reappointed as a non-executive member of the Office for Budget Responsibility. Her first term was due to end on 19 June 2026. Baroness Hogg has agreed to serve a further one-year term until 19 June 2027.

    Dame Susan Rice will be stepping down as a non-executive member of the Office for Budget Responsibility when her term ends on 19 June 2026. The OBR will shortly launch a recruitment process to appoint Dame Susan Rice’s successor.

    The OBR’s Budget Responsibility Committee, Tom Josephs and Professor David Miles, said:

    We are delighted that Baroness Hogg will be serving for a further year. We would like to record our immense gratitude for the invaluable contribution that Dame Susan Rice has made to the OBR over the past three years.

    Further Information

    Baroness Hogg has had a long and varied career in economic journalism and public policy, including as the Head of Number 10 Policy Unit. She has worked as a Director, council member and Chair for numerous private and public sector organisations including Royal Mail, the BBC, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and the Financial Services Authority as well as being the lead independent Director for HM Treasury for six years. She was appointed to the House of Lords as a Conservative peer in 1995 and became a crossbench peer in 2010, following her appointment as Chair of the Financial Reporting Council. She was a member of the House of Lords Economics Affairs Committee from 1999 to 2003.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s actions in Ukraine continue to undermine the prospects for peace – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s actions in Ukraine continue to undermine the prospects for peace – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    Ambassador Holland underlines the growing gap between Russia’s rhetoric and actions, highlighting intensified attacks and rising civilian casualties. Ukraine has demonstrated its readiness for peace, while Russia continues to obstruct and undermine the path towards a just and lasting settlement.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    We continue to hear claims from Russia that it is open to a peaceful resolution to its war of aggression against Ukraine. But words about peace matter only if they are matched by actions. And there remains a clear and widening gap between Russia’s rhetoric and the reality of its conduct. While speaking of negotiations, Russia continues to reject meaningful opportunities for dialogue and instead intensifies its attacks, with Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure continuing to be impacted.

    The facts on the ground are clear. In May, Russia fired a record 7,100 drones at Ukraine, the third consecutive month in which this grim record was broken. May also saw the highest number of civilian casualties since April 2022. And this pattern has continued into June. In its latest mass attack, Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles, killing at least 23 civilians, including two children, and injuring many more. This is not the conduct of a state preparing the ground for peace. It is the conduct of a state continuing to intensify its aggression.

    By contrast, Ukraine has shown repeatedly that it is ready for peace. It has agreed to proposals for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. It has engaged constructively with negotiations. And it has demonstrated that it is prepared to take serious steps to reduce violence and create space for diplomacy. Ukraine is ready. Russia is not.

    Ukraine’s position was reinforced last weekend, when the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany met President Zelenskyy and called on President Putin to agree to an immediate and complete ceasefire. They were equally clear that international borders must not be changed by force, that Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its own security arrangements must be fully respected, and that any just and lasting peace must be underpinned by robust security guarantees. These are serious, credible and principled foundations for peace.

    Russia, however, continues to advance maximalist objectives. It continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from areas Russia has failed to occupy after years of fighting. It continues to prolong negotiations while intensifying military pressure. And it continues to behave as though sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force are somehow negotiable. They are not.

    There is therefore a fundamental contradiction at the heart of Russia’s position. It speaks of peace but acts for war. It calls for dialogue but refuses to engage seriously. The conclusion is unavoidable: Russia has not chosen peace. And there remains one party actively seeking to prolong this war, and it’s the same country that started it and could end it tomorrow: Russia.

    Mr Chair, the United Kingdom will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine as it exercises its legitimate right of self-defence under the UN Charter. If Russia is serious about peace, it should demonstrate that through its actions by ending its attacks; agreeing to an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire; engaging constructively in negotiations; and respecting international law and OSCE principles.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £35 million government funding boost to stop drones smuggling contraband into prisons [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : £35 million government funding boost to stop drones smuggling contraband into prisons [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 11 June 2026.

    Up to 13,000 prison cell windows across England and Wales will be fitted with heavy-duty steel grilles to stop drones smuggling drugs, weapons and mobile phones into jails.

    • New counter-drone measures  at  17 prisons at high risk from drones
    • Up to 13,000 cell windows to be reinforced with grilles to thwart criminals smuggling illicit items
    • Part of Government action to ensure prisons cut crime and protect the public    

    Up to 13,000 prison cell windows across England and Wales will be fitted with heavy-duty steel grilles to stop drones smuggling drugs, weapons and mobile phones into jails.

    The roll out, backed by £35m of government funding, will see physical security strengthened at 17 high-risk prisons vulnerable to drone activity. The funding will help to crackdown on criminal gangs exploiting jails with increasingly sophisticated drone operations.  

    The investment includes installing thousands of grilles to cell windows by spring next year – providing a tough physical barrier to block the delivery of contraband which can wreak havoc behind bars.      

    Many of the grilles will be manufactured by prisoners themselves - helping to cut costs and giving offenders skills for the job market so they can leave crime behind.   

    It comes as crooks are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approach with drone sightings around prisons increasing by 770% between 2019 and 2023, not only undermining rehabilitation efforts but threatening the safety of both staff and prisoners.    

    Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, said:     

    Drone smuggling fuels violence, debt and disorder in our prisons. It wrecks rehabilitation and puts lives at risk.

    This new investment will further bolster prison defences against drones, building on our work with police to catch and prosecute the criminal gangs responsible. 

    To the criminal gangs using drones to target our prisons, my message is clear: we are shutting down your routes, disrupting your operations and bringing offenders to justice. 

    Today’s announcement builds on £40 million already invested by the Government to strengthen prison security, including £10 million specifically on counter-drone measures such as external netting and wires.    

    A large-scale joint operation between the police and HMPPS has already resulted in over 200 arrests linked to drones smuggling contraband into our prisons.   

    In March, a gang that used drones to smuggle drugs and mobile phones into prisons were sentenced to a combined 22 years’ imprisonment, thanks to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police in partnership with the Prison Service.    

    National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Countering the Threat from Drones in Prisons, Steff Sharp said:   

    We welcome this investment as it aligns with our continued pursuit of those using drones to smuggle weapons, drugs, phones and other contraband into prisons. These items fuel organised crime, impact local communities and increase the risk of violence towards staff and inmates within prison walls.

    Counter drone activity is complex which is why we are committed to working closely with HMPPS and other partners to make sure this criminality is prevented, intercepted and offenders brought to justice.

    Today’s investment supports wider Government efforts to develop counter-drone capabilities, including by learning from Ukrainian expertise developed on the battlefield and from innovators through a competition launched this year to tackle the illegal use of drones in prisons.   

    More broadly the Government plans to build 14,000 extra places nationwide by 2031 – with 3,100 already added since July 2024 – to keep streets safer and ensure the country never runs out of prison space again.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement on the launch of the International Peace Fund for Israelis and Palestinians [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement on the launch of the International Peace Fund for Israelis and Palestinians [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    Joint statement from the Foreign Ministers of the UK, Australia and Canada on the launch of the International Peace Fund for Israelis and Palestinians.

    Today, we the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are pleased to announce that we will establish a new International Peace Fund for Israelis and Palestinians, a multi-donor initiative to support peacebuilding efforts to establish the conditions for a lasting peace.

    We are doing so at a moment of acute crisis in Israel and Palestine. The last three years have exacted a devastating and dehumanising toll on civilians and deepened mistrust and division between communities. At the same time, civil society has faced increasing restrictions and unprecedented pressure.

    As prospects for a two-state solution remain challenging in the short term, there is an urgent need to invest in the conditions that can make future peace possible, through sustained dialogue and vital grassroots engagement.

    We remain committed to a just and lasting resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, based on a negotiated two-state solution in which Israeli and Palestinian people can live in peace, security and dignity.

    The fund will help strengthen the voices of moderates and marginalise the extremists, including Hamas.

    As we have learned from other entrenched conflicts around the world, peace cannot be achieved through political and security measures alone. It also requires sustained effort to rebuild trust, to strengthen cooperation, and to highlight the shared humanity of people.

    The Peace Fund will invest in programmes that advance a two-state solution, help reduce division, strengthen civil society, and support dialogue and cooperation within and between Israeli and Palestinian communities, building the foundations for peace.

    The Fund will complement existing diplomatic, humanitarian and development efforts by helping to build the relationships, confidence and shared understanding needed for successful negotiations.

    Funding contributions underscore strong international commitment to this initiative. As such, we will each be contributing initial seed funding equivalent to £1 million over three years.  Once established, the Fund will be open to additional financial contributions from international partners committed to advancing peace.

    Funding will be directed to trusted civil society organisations (CSOs) in both Israel and Palestine, with demonstrated expertise in peacebuilding and dialogue. Additional information on the fund, and its modalities will be announced shortly.

    We call on our international partners to support this initiative and invest in the long-term foundations of peace. We also urge all parties to the conflict to take steps to reduce tensions, protect civilians, including humanitarian workers, and uphold international law.

    The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada remain committed to working with partners to advance a two-state solution, as the only viable option for peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Thousands moved closer to work with support from landmark employment scheme [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Thousands moved closer to work with support from landmark employment scheme [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 11 June 2026.

    Thousands of disabled people and those with health conditions and more complex barriers have moved closer to work following support from the Government’s landmark Supported Employment scheme.

    • 14,000 disabled people and those with health conditions already receiving personalised, specialist support through Connect to Work — with starts already ramping up and set to grow significantly as the programme expands.
    • First official statistics show encouraging early signs, with more than a thousand people helped into secure employment -positive results given the programme is still in its infancy.
    • Programme on track to support 300,000 people by the end of the decade, as part of the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and move from a welfare state to a working state.

    Launched last year – and backed by £1 billion over this parliament – the Connect to Work Programme is breaking down barriers to opportunity by helping sick or disabled people, and those with more complex barriers, move out of poverty and into secure employment.

    The programme funds support in all areas across England and Wales. Participants – who don’t need to be receiving benefits – can access intensive, one-to-one support from specialist advisers who work around them – meeting in GP surgeries, local cafés, parks or community hubs, wherever feels right for the individual.

    The first tranche of data published today shows that despite only being in its first year and most areas opening their services in the later stage of 2025/26:

    • Between April 2025 and March 2026, 14,000 participants started on the programme. Numbers grew steadily throughout the year, reaching 4,200 new starters in March 2026.
    • 1,600 of those who were out-of-work started in a job, thanks to the programme.
    • Between April 2025 and March 2026, over a quarter of people who received Connect to Work support were aged 16 to 24.

    It’s part of the Government’s drive to move from a welfare state to a working state and fix the broken system it inherited, with 2.8 million people currently out of work due to ill-health.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

    For too long, disabled people and those with health conditions were written off – denied the chance to work and the financial security that comes with a good job.

    Connect to Work is built on a simple belief that with the right support, built around the individual, people can and do get into work.

    Today’s figures prove it. Thousands of people are now closer to working, earning and building better lives, and this is just the beginning.

    In total, 14,000 people have received tailored support to move closer to employment. With the programme still in its early stages, numbers are expected to grow substantially – rising to 300,000 people across England and Wales by the end of the decade.

    Advisers take time to understand each person’s health condition, complex barriers and circumstances, then work with them to remove whatever stands in the way of work, including by: * matching people to jobs that suit their individual needs and circumstances providing practical skills support, such as CV writing, to help people get into and progress at work * working directly with employers to recruit and retain disabled workers continuing to offer support once participants are in work, to help them stay in their role

    Mandy Skinner, Chief Executive of Hounslow Council and Chair of the West London Alliance – A Connect to Work delivery area- Health & Employment Board said:

    This programme shows what’s possible when health and employment systems truly work in partnership. 

    We are proud to have pioneered the approach of fully integrating services across primary and secondary care here in West London.

    The next phase is about deepening that approach to support more residents into sustainable work.

    Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council said:

    It’s simply excellent that supporting people to access meaningful work is at the heart of the government’s programme for a fairer Britain.

    For some years now, the councils that make up the West London Alliance have been working together on this agenda to pioneer new approaches which are local, integrated and people-centred.

    Today, the Government also confirmed the final funding agreement for South East Wales – up to £32.5 million to support around 9,100 people into work by 2030, so every area is now mobilising support across England and Wales.

    Connect to Work sits at the heart of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion employment support package, which includes the national rollout of WorkWell, a proven work and health support service that will help up to 250,000 people get back to health and move closer to work.

    Additional information

    • Connect to Work Official Statistics are published on GOV.UK, labelled as Official Statistics in Development, and will be published quarterly.
    • Data covers activity April 2025 to March 2026 across England and Wales – during this period delivery was rolling out and ramping up.
    • The published data reports delivery on the 41 Connect to Work delivery areas that were open to participants by end March 2026. Of these, only 14 areas have delivery data for six months or more for the 2025/26 financial year.
    • Data for Greater Manchester Mayoral Strategic Authority is not included as they are using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator, so there are differences in programme funding and structure.
    • The South East Wales funding agreement is worth up to £32.5 million, supporting around 9,100 people until 2030.
    • This brings the total funding confirmed to local areas for Connect to Work to £1.2bn; £1.1bn to England and £64.1m to Wales.
    • Connect to Work runs across England and Wales. The programme funding has been granted to 49 Delivery Areas*.
    Programme rollout up to 31 March 2026:Date area opened to first participant starts**Connect to Work Delivery Areas
    28/04/2025Greater London – West London Alliance 
    16/06/2025East Sussex 
    30/06/2025Kent & Medway 
    01/07/2025Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire 
    14/07/2025Greater Lancashire 
    21/07/2025Greater London – Central London Forward 
    01/08/2025South Yorkshire 
    11/08/2025Greater Essex 
    01/09/2025Greater London – Local London, Solent 
    22/09/2025Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 
    30/09/2025West Midlands Combined Authority 
    01/10/2025Suffolk, Worcestershire, North East 
    14/10/2025Warwickshire 
    15/10/2025Surrey 
    03/11/2025West Sussex & Brighton, South Midlands 
    12/11/2025Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Oxfordshire 
    19/11/2025Norfolk 
    24/11/2025Staffs and Stoke on Trent 
    02/12/2025Greater London – South London Partnership 
    12/12/2025South West Wales 
    15/12/2025Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland 
    05/01/2026Cumbria 
    12/01/2026Tees Valley, Mid Wales 
    19/01/2026Hampshire, Swindon and Wiltshire, Cheshire and Warrington 
    26/01/2026Berkshire 
    16/02/2026West Yorkshire 
    02/03/2026East Midlands 
    06/03/2026Greater Lincolnshire, Liverpool City Region 
    10/03/2026York and North Yorkshire 
    17/03/2026West of England 
    23/03/2026Dorset 
    30/03/2026Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 

    *The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is included as a Connect to Work delivery area but will not feature in statistical releases as they are using their Connect to Work funding to pilot their Prevention Demonstrator via their Integrated Settlement.

    **This is the date a Connect to Work service opened for participants in that area. Many Connect to Work areas have chosen a phased approach to opening their services, to fit with other local provision and ensure effective roll out. Local services may become fully operational across the area at a later date than listed here, depending on local plans.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan – Vicente Solera Deuchar [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan – Vicente Solera Deuchar [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    Mr Vicente Solera Deuchar has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic in succession to Mr Nicholas Bowler. 

    Mr Solera Deuchar will take up his appointment during August 2026.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Vicente Solera Deuchar

    YearRole
    2025 to presentFull time Kyrgyz language training
    2022 to 2025British Embassy Addis Ababa, Deputy Development Director
    2020 to 2022FCDO, Deputy Head, Centre for Data and Analysis
    2018 to 2020FCO, Private Secretary, Minister for Europe and Americas
    2015 to 2018British Embassy Moscow, Second Secretary Energy and Industry
    2014 to 2015Full Time Russian language training
    2013 to 2014FCO, Africa and Middle East Economist
    2012 to 2013FCO, G20 Desk Officer
    2012Joined FCO
  • PRESS RELEASE : Co-operation with the Council of Europe and Ukraine Accountability Efforts – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Co-operation with the Council of Europe and Ukraine Accountability Efforts – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    Ambassador Holland reaffirmed the UK’s strong support for the Council of Europe and its partnership with the OSCE, highlighting shared commitments to human rights, democracy and rule of law, and underlining the importance of accountability for Russia’s war against Ukraine and strengthened institutional co-operation.

    Thank you, Mr Chair. 

    Secretary General, welcome back to the Permanent Council. Thank you for your presentation and for your continued leadership at the Council of Europe, which remains central to the UK’s human rights and foreign policy agenda.  

    The UK values the longstanding relationship between the OSCE and the Council of Europe, grounded in our shared commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. These principles underpin our work in Vienna and Strasbourg and are essential to both individual freedoms and economic prosperity.  

    We meet at a time of serious challenge to European multilateralism, with Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine presenting a challenge to the rules by which we all agreed to abide. We urge all OSCE participating States to uphold our shared commitments. We must not allow aggression to undermine the international rules-based order.  

    The UK strongly supports Ukraine’s accountability efforts. We were proud to Chair the Conference of Participants for the Register of Damage until last week, which now includes over 160,000 claims. We commend the Council of Europe’s leadership on the Claims Commission Convention, which was opened for signature in December, and welcome the adoption in Chisinau last month of the resolution establishing the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine by 34 Council of Europe member States including the UK, as well as the EU, Australia and Costa Rica. 

    The Council of Europe and the OSCE have complementary roles in promoting democratic values, including media freedom, gender equality, and free elections. Our memberships are not the same but both organisations face similar challenges such as democratic backsliding. It is therefore more important than ever to coordinate effectively, to minimise duplication and overlap and focus on the two organisations’ respective mandates and comparative strengths to maximise impact, particularly in a time of constrained resources.  We would be interested in your reflections on that.

    In this spirit we welcome your initiative to create a New Democratic Pact for Europe, bringing stakeholders together to address democratic backsliding, impunity, and authoritarianism. 

    Secretary General, the UK remains a steadfast supporter of both organisations. We wish you and your team every success.  

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK, Australia and Canada launch peacebuilding fund for Israel and Palestine [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK, Australia and Canada launch peacebuilding fund for Israel and Palestine [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 June 2026.

    The UK, Australia and Canada have ​launched a peace fund to ‌complement broader efforts towards a two-state solution.

    • Fund will prioritise long-term peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians to address root causes of conflict and support a sustainable two-state solution
    • Initiative jointly announced during meeting of three foreign ministers at Chevening
    • Will complement existing efforts to provide humanitarian support in Palestine, crack down on violent settlers, and support the 20-point Gaza peace plan
    • Ministers reiterate commitment to tackle antisemitism around the world, and end the security threat from Hamas

    The UK is stepping up efforts to tackle the root causes of the Israel-Palestine conflict and support a path to a two-state solution by launching a new International Peace Fund.

    The announcement came as UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper hosted her Australian and Canadian counterparts, Penny Wong and Anita Anand, for talks at Chevening on the Strait of Hormuz, the drive for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, and the global crisis of violence against women and girls.

    The Peace Fund announcement forms part of the UK’s wider effort to use all available diplomatic, humanitarian and practical levers to support peace in Israel and Palestine. In partnership with Australia and Canada, the Fund will support practical, grassroots initiatives that bring communities together in order to rebuild trust, and reduce the divisions that harm the prospect of long-term peace.

    As well as supporting existing programmes to improve their reach and capability, the Fund will also invest in new ventures, spanning all levels of society, from local community projects to support for dialogue between future leaders. Funding will go to a range of projects, particularly those that include youth groups, civil society organisations and women, with an emphasis on relationship building and creating opportunities for engagement that can underpin future peace negotiations.

    Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    Peace, justice and security in the Middle East depends on a two-state solution and it is why our countries have recognised the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel.

    But too often Middle East peace is seen as an issue only of international diplomacy. When generations of Israelis and Palestinians have grown up with cycles of conflict and violence, we also need to support the local community organisations who are building dialogue, peace and trust across communities.

    That is why the UK is launching the International Peace Fund with Australia and Canada, to support those working tirelessly to foster understanding between Israeli and Palestinian communities and create the conditions for the two states to live side-by-side in peace.

    Alongside our international partners, we are clear that a negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable route to a just and lasting peace, with security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike. This Fund will help support progress towards that goal from within those communities themselves.

    The announcement reinforces the UK’s longstanding leadership in the field of peacebuilding, drawing on experience from similar efforts in Northern Ireland and ongoing work in the Western Balkans to address the underlying drivers of conflict.

    This is the latest action taken by the UK to support peace in lockstep with international partners. On Tuesday, alongside Australia and Canada, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions on violent settlers in the West Bank to protect Palestinian human rights and clamp down on those harming prospects for peace.

    Meeting at Chevening, the three ministers also affirmed their commitment to ensure that Hamas should be disarmed, disempowered and dismantled as part of the 20-point Gaza peace plan, so it can play no part in the future governance of Palestine, and pose no future threat to the security of Israel.

    They also discussed the global rise in antisemitic hatred and violence, and reiterated their commitment to protect the freedom and safety of the Jewish communities that have been the target of appalling attacks in the UK, Australia and Canada over the past year.

    Background

    • The UK, Australia and Canada have each put in £1m to launch the Fund. Once operational, the Fund will seek to bring on other donors and scale up efforts.
    • The Fund will complement diplomatic and humanitarian efforts by investing in the social and civic foundations needed for a sustainable peace and working with partners to mobilise wider international support.
    • More information on the sanctions announced by the UK, Australia, Canada and further partners this week UK and allies sanction networks enabling settler violence in the West Bank